Discharging means for flush tanks



Aug. 15, 1939. J. MCBRIDE 2,169,845

DISCHARGING MEANS FOR FLUSH TANKS Filed Aug; 20, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /n venfor desae L. Mc Bride W/Q-WMW Aug; 15,1939. J. MCBRIDE 2,169,345

DISCHARGING MEANS FOR FLUSH TANKS Filed Aug. 20, 193'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /m/enzor Jesse L. McBr/ae After/767$ Patented Aug. 15, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to an improved means for effecting the discharge of water from toilet flushing tanks and the like.

V More specifically my invention relates to flush n tanks having a siphon connected to the discharge pipe,the substitution of a siphon for the customary outlet control valves making it possible to eliminate the difiiculties involved in the use of such'valves, such as the frequent replacement of the rubber bulbs or inverted rubber cups and the rubber washers and the difliculty of keeping such valves from leaking.

An object of my invention is to provide a simple, practical siphon discharge means which is positive in its action and semi-automatic in operation.

,Another object of my invention is to provide such a siphon means which will efficiently drain the tank to within a very short distance from the bottom but which will nevertheless retain sufficient water in the tank to keep the end of the siphon sufiiciently sealed to prevent any reverse flow of air or other gases through the siphon. A further object of my invention is to control the position of the siphon, when it is not discharging, by a float means, thus eliminating the use ofsprings, levers, or similar mechanisms for holding the siphon in proper position.

The means by which I attain the above mentioned and incidental objects will be apparentfrom the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings. I

In the drawings: I

Fig. l is a sectionalelevation of a toilet flushing tank showing thesiphon of my invention installed therein, the other mechanisms connected with the tank being omittedin the drawing for the purpose of clarity; I

Fig. 2 is a plan View of a toilet flushing tank, with top cover removed, showing the complete mechanism for emptying and filling the tank in place; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation on the line 33 of Fig. 2 taken in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring first to Fig. 1, in the bottom of the toilet flushing tank 2 a flanged fitting 6 is provided which extends through the tank bottom and is clamped thereto by the nut 'I' on the 5 threaded downwardly extending shank 8. The

shank'il also is the means by which the discharge pipe (not shown) is connected below the tank 2. Suitable washers 9 and I 0 are provided to prevent any leaking about the flanged fitting 6. 55' .Within the tank 2 isan S-shaped pipe 4 whose end 5 is set tightly in the fitting 6,1;1'1118 holding the pipe 4 stationary. The upper end of the stationary pipe 4 is bent substantially as shown at I I. The bend at the lower end 5 is such that the I section I5 of the pipe I2,the bend at I4 being such that when the pipe I2 is in its lowered position, shown by the broken lines in Fig. 1, the section I5 of the pipe will be approximately perpendicular to the bottom of the tank. The section I5, extends below the bend I4, such distance as to cause the main section of pipe I2 to slope slightly from the horizontal when the pipe is in the lowered position indicated by the broken lines.

The end I6 of pipe I2 is connected with the end I I of the stationary pipe 4 by a flexible tubular coupling which allows the pipe I2 to swing up and down. I have found it most satisfactory and practical to use for said coupling a piece of rubber tubing of such diameter as to enable the tubing to fit tightly over the ends II and I6 of the pipes 4 and I2. Into the middle of the rubber tubing I force a ring of metal or other rigid material of greater diameter thus expanding the tubing radially at its center, as at I8. The ends of the rubber tubing are then secured to the pipes 4 and I2 by the clamps II. This central expansion of the tubing increases the flexibility of the connection between the expanded portion I8 and the portions secured on the pipes 4 and I2, and, furthermore, maintains the tubular coupling against collapsing and thus insures free passage of water.

. The pipe I2, being thus hinged, as it were, to the stationary pipe 4, has its other or free end normally supported in the water in the tank by a float or sealed air chamber I9 formed integral with the pipe I2 by enclosing the acute angle bend of the pipe. The sealed air chamber I9 is made of such size that the inner surface of the pipe I2 at the bend I4 will normally be held above the water level so that when pipe I2 is in its normal position, as shown in Fig. 1, no water will be discharged through the pipes l2 and 4. The walls of the air chamber constitute a brace for the bent section I5 of the pipe I2. When'the floating end of pipe I2 is pushed down in the water sufficiently to submerge the bend I4, water immediately fills the pipe I2 and the pipe 4 and starts the siphoning action. This causes a downward suction on the free end of pipe I2 which is increased by the flared flange I3 with which the end of pipe I2 is finished. The sealed air chamber I9 is not large enough to overcome this downward suction, which occurs as soon as the bend I4 is submerged, and consequently, the free end'of pipe I2 continues to descend to the bottom of the tank. On the flange I3 of pipe I2 a stop is attached, the purpose of which is to form a rest for the pipe on the tank bottom, thus preventing the shutting off of the flow of water into the pipe I2 from the tank by keeping the flanged end of the pipe spaced slightly from the tank bottom.

The pipe I2 remains in the position shown by the broken lines in Fig. 1 as long as the siphoning action continues, and this continues until the level of water in the tank falls below the rim of the flange I3. The moment the water level drops below the bottom edge of flange I3, air is drawn into the pipe I2 and no further siphoning takes place. As the air is permitted to enter pipe I2 in this manner, it passes to the highest point in the pipe, that is, to the bend I4. The water in the main portion of pipe I2 and that in pipe 4 flows out by gravity into the discharge pipe (not shown) connected to the tank. The water in the vertical section I5 of pipe I 2, however, drops back into the bottom of the tank and slightly raises the level of water remaining in the tank, causing the water to reach the bottom edge of flange I3 and thus in effect seals that end of pipe I2 and prevents any tendency, with the flowing of the water out of pipes I2 and 4, for air or gases to pass through pipes I2 and 4 in the reverse direction. Consequently, when the tank is connected with a toilet bowl, with the flushing of the bowl by the water from the tank, no gases will pass up from the bowl into the tank even though the water in the tank is drained to within a very short distance of the tank bottom. This is an important feature of my device.

Any suitable mechanism for depressing the pipe I2 and float chamber I9 and submerging the bend I4, when it is desired to discharge the water from the tank, may be employed. Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate a control mechanism which I have found is convenient, simple, and practical to use for this purpose. This comprises a lever 2 I, ful crumed off-center on a bracket 22 which is securely fastened on the inside of the front wall of the tank as shown in Fig. 2. The shorter end of the lever 2i carries a fixed horizontal pin 23 which contacts a wedged-shaped projection 24 on the pipe I2 (see Figs. 1 and 3) when the pipe I2 is in raised position. To the opposite end of the lever 2| is attached a counterweight 25. A shaft 21, extending through the wall of the tank, has an arm 28 keyed to it at its inner end and a handle 26 securely attached to its outer end. A link 29 is pivotally connected at one end to the lever 2I and at the other end to the extremity of the arm 28 as shown in Fig. 3. Thus when the handle 26 is moved pivotally in either direction, the lower end of arm 28 moves in an arc and lifts the link 29 and therewith the weighted end of the lever 2I. This causes the other end of the lever 2I, and therewith the pin 23 to move downward, pushing the projection 24 and pipe I2 downward with it. As previously explained, it is necessary to push down on projection 24 onlysufiiciently to submerge bend I4 of pipe I2, whereupon the siphoning action starts and the free end of pipe I2 will be drawn down to' the bottom of the tank. Meanwhile, as soon as the handle 26 is released the lever 2|, assisted by the counterweight 25, returns to its normal position.

Any of the conventional types of float-actuated water inlet valves may be used to control the filling of the tank. One of the well-known types is shown in plan in Fig. 2. This comprises a float 30 connected by the rod 3| and linkage 32 to the stem 33 of the inlet valve. When the float 30 descends, due to the discharge of the water from the tank, the stem 33 of the inlet valve is raised, thus opening the inlet valve and permitting water to enter into and refill the tank. As the level of water in the tank rises, lifting the float 30, the stem 33 is pushed down, thus closing the inlet valve when the float has risen to a predetermined height.

As the level of water in the tank rises, during the refilling of the tank, the pipe I2 is lifted by its air chamber I9, since the siphoning action has ceased, and the pipe I2 returns to its normal raised position with the projection 24 again contacting pin 23 of lever 2!. However, should the water level rise too high in the tank, due to a faulty inlet valve or any defect in the float-actuated mechanism controlling the inlet valve, since further upward travel of pipe I2 is prevented by the pin 23, the water, as soon as the level reaches the bendl l, will start flowing out through pipe I2 and pipe 4 and prevent any overflowing of the tank. Thus with my device a separate overflow pipe, such as is customary with other types of devices, is entirely unnecessary.

With the flexible rubber coupling connecting pipes 4 and I2 in the manner described, I have found it advisable, as a means of preventing lateral movement of the pipe I2 towards the rear Wall of the tank, to provide a vertical guide post 34 which I secure at its base to the stationary pipe 4 at the side facing the rear wall of the tank (see Fig. 1). The pipe I2 is free to slide against the vertical post 34, and to prevent wear on the outer surface of pipe I2, a reinforcing plate 35 is mounted on pipe I2 as shown in Fig. 2. As a matter of convenience, I make the post 34 extend to the desired high water level in the tank in order that it may serve also as a gage for determining the correct water level when adjusting the stem 33 and other float mechanism operating the inlet valve.

When my device is to be used in a toilet flushing tank, the tank should be of such capacity and arranged to be filled to such a level as to cause one or more complete flushings of the toilet bowl during the siphoning discharge from the tank. Then, when the siphoning from the tank ceases, the remaining water in pipes I2 and 4, which then flows by gravity into the toilet bowl, will insure the proper amount of water remaining in the bowl to seal the discharge outlet from the toilet bowl to avoid any escape of gas from the sewer pipe into the bowl.

The flare or flange I3 at the bottom of the section I5 of pipe I2, by afiording a considerably increased circumferential edge under which the water is drawn up into the pipe during the siphoning operation, enables such bottom end of the siphon to be positioned closer to the bottom of the tank without interfering too much with the intake of the water into the siphon. It is desirable to drain the tank as completely as possible during each siphoning operation, but at the same time, the passage of the water into and through the siphon must take place in sufficient volume and with sufficient speed to cause the proper flushing of the toilet bow. One of the objections common to other toilet flushing tanks is. that the water in the bottom of the tank is not sufliciently drained out in the ordinary flushing operation and this induce-s the accumulation of dirt and sediment in the bottom of the tank. Thus, the greater the flare or flange at the intake end of my siphon and the greater the area of the intake end, within reasonable limits, the more completely can the tank be empied by my device without decreasing its efliciency in other respects.

It would, of course, be possible to make the bottom edge of the flare or flange toothed or notched and thereby dispense with the stop 20. I have found it most practical, however, to use the particular construction illustrated.

Variations in the mechanical construction of my device may be made provided the principle of my invention be not departed from.

I claim:

1. In a flushing tank a siphon element comprising an S-shaped stationary pipe section arranged at a slight angle above the horizontal and whose lower end extends thru the tank bottom, a movable pipe extension connected to the upper end of said stationary pipe section by a rubber tube including an expanding ring, the upper end of said pipe extension bent to form an angular pendent section, the bent section of said pipe extension inclosed by a housing constituting an air chamber floating said bent section in the water in the tank, the walls of said air chamber constituting a brace for said bent section, a manually operable lever including a stop contacting with said bent section, and in the normal position of said lever limiting the rise of said bent section, said lever operable to depress the bent end of said movable pipe section.

2. In a flushing tank, a syphon element comprising an S-shaped stationary pipe section whose lower end extends thru the tank bottom, a movable pipe extensionv connected to the upper end of said stationary pipe section by a flexible tubular coupling of resilient material including an expanding ring of greater diameter than said tube, the upper end of said pipe bent to form a pendent section and provided with an air chamber floating said bent section in the water of the tank, a manually operable lever including a stop contacting with said bent section and in the normal position of said lever limiting the rise of said bent section, said lever operable to depress the bent end of said movable pipe extension.

3. In a flushing tank, a syphon element comprising an S-shaped stationary pipe section whose lower end extends thru the tank bottom, a movable pipe extension connected to the upper end of said stationary pipe section by a rubber tube including an expanding ring, the upper end of said pipe bent to form a pendent section and provided with an air chamber floating said bent section in the water of the tank.

4. In a flushing tank, a syphon element comprising an S-shaped stationary pipe section whose lower end extends thru the tank bottom, a movable pipe extension connected to the upper end of said stationary pipe section by a flexible tubular coupling of resilient material including an expanding ring of greater diameter than said tube, the upper end of said pipe extension bent to form a pendent section and provided with an air chamber floating said bent section in the water of the tank.

JESSE L. MCBRIDE. 

